#sugae

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[theposhhoarder-blog]

An acne info shortie

My skin has crossed the borderline of me accepting a few breakouts to putting my foot down. When I started exercising and running last year, a pimple here and there was okay in my book because I was sweating out the debris lodged in my face (ewh, that even sounds gross) and it clogged my pores. Eventually I stopped working out because I suck at keeping with habits, but my new diet changed the quality of my skin and it helped with healing scars. Not to mention, I drank more water at the time because I'm the usual victim of dehydration. Caffeinated drinks, sugarbombs, and sodas were off limits to a few special "pig-out" days.

Leveling my sugar intake helped me in a way that I had energy--and less break-outs. When I woke up, I wasn't groggy. I wasn't stressed out and neither was my skin. My hormones were in check. But also, as I researched yesterday, that when you hit a sugar spike, your body makes up for the lack of insulin and testosterone needed at that level of sugar by producing a LOT of it. For the past few days--and I plead guilty--I've been helping myself to a BUTT LOAD of soda. And yes, I've been breaking out. Research says acne is caused by an arsenal of bacterial infection, hormone imbalances, or stress. The game my acne was playing at was hormone imbalance. You see, acne produced by hormones is triggered by androgens. Testosterone is an androgen.

And because I was gulping soda like no tomorrow, my body decided to give back and present to me a whoooole lotta androgens. And those special break-out cakes. I'm also dehydrated by now, too. 

Speaking of dehydration:

When you're washing your face, use a mild soap and follow-up with an oil-free moisturizer or facial lotion. What does it have to do with acne? 

  Well first off, you don't want a lot of soap lather to remove the oils off your face--you're already stripping bare your skin and prepping it for other products. The lather is created by sodium laureate, and it actually dries your skin. Ever feel that tight feeling after a wash? Your face--it's dry. You've just done more bad than good. Your skin needs a balanced presence of oils in your skin, and when you've disintegrated it all with soapy lather, your skin amps up the production of sebum. That's why after cleansers and toners, people pat on moisturizers--to combat the dryness. Otherwise, hello sebum plugs and acne!

Your face after washing:

Your face after moisturizer:

So here are my tips:

avoid drinks and foods high in added sugar (I'd say about 15g+ per serving)

keep hydrated, drink water (and since it's summer, people are prone to  heat strokes so drink up)

buy mild cleansers--minimal lather, some cleansers aren't even soap-based but lotion-based 

during the day, use a lightweight formula for your moisturizer (you shouldn't be able to feel product after 2-3 minutes because your skin's able to soak it up quickly)

only at night should you use heavier creams that help with cell turnover to get rid of acne scars and dead skin cells

Some products I recommend:

Cetaphil (cleanser & lotion)

Garnier moisturizers

L'oreal Future-E

Neutrogena beauty bars

Olay moisturizers

[hmadr1]

Cake Pops!!!